HAZELNUT CRUSTED CHICKEN FINGERS WITH GREEK YOGURT RANCH

This is one of those recipes that I feel like I can pat myself on the back over and over again because of how much my toddler loves it and how good I feel about all the ingredients. I grew up eating chicken fingers from the gas station hot bar and while I loved those little crispy fingers when I was little, I cringe now thinking about the ingredients I was putting in my little body.

As an adult I still long for a lot of those childhood favorite foods and this recipe really hits the nail on the head for me. These chicken fingers are crispy, moist, and chock full of nourishing ingredients like almond four, coconut shreds, and free range chicken breast. We served our chicken fingers with crispy potatoes and some steamed peas for good measure. Pepper loved dipping her chicken fingers in Greek yogurt ranch and I loved that she was getting extra profited in with each bite.

Meals like this make it so fun to feed my family. This comes together quickly and has become a weekly staple over the past month. I hope you and your family love this nourishing meal as much as we do!

Cheers to feeding all the little people and big people in your life!

HAZELNUT CRUSTED COCONUT CHICKEN FINGERS WITH GREEK YOGURT RANCH

PREP TIME: 20 MINUTES    COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES    SERVES: 4

Chicken

• 1/2 cup hazelnut flour (or almond flour

• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 1 egg, whisked

• 1 pound organic, boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

Greek Yogurt Ranch

• 1/2 cup plain whole milk greek yogurt

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill

• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

• salt to taste

• 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

• 1-2 Tablespoons water to thin (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with a wire rack and use a towel to grease the wire rack with butter or oil. (The wire rack makes the chicken extra crispy!) If you don't have a wire rack you can lightly grease the baking sheet.

2. In a large bowl add the hazelnut flour, coconut, spices and salt. Mix well.

3. In another bowl add the whisked egg.

4. Dip each slice of chicken into the egg and then dredge both sides into the hazelnut mixture. Place the chicken on the wire rack baking sheet. Repeat with all the chicken.

5. Bake the chicken for 20 minutes, carefully flipping halfway through cooking. (Internal temperature should be 165F which should take no more than 20 minutes, but if your chicken is thicker it may be 1-2 minutes longer)

6. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

7. While the chicken cooks prepare the ranch. Combine all the ingredients (except the water) and mix well. If the mixture is too thick for you liking you may add 1-2 Tablespoons of water to thin as needed. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.

Notes

*Store extra ranch dressing in the fridge for up to 5 days. Almond flour can be substituted for hazelnut flour